Producers Seek Court Help After 'Bougainvillea' Misses National Film Awards Deadline

In a surprising turn of events, the producers of the film 'Bougainvillea', directed by Amal Neerad, have sought judicial assistance in the High Court regarding complications with their National Film Awards submission. According to the petition filed by the production house, the team had completed all the necessary formalities for the 72nd National Film Awards, except for the final fee payment.

However, when they attempted to make the payment on the official portal, the system allegedly froze and became completely unresponsive. This technical glitch ultimately prevented them from completing the submission before the October 31 deadline. The production house had already submitted a formal representation to the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, seeking an extension due to the system malfunction.

The producers argued that losing the chance to participate at the national level would be unjust, as the Kunchacko Boban-starrer had received critical acclaim and swept the Kerala State Film Awards with seven wins. They emphasized that the setback would not only affect the production company but also undermine the efforts of the artists and technicians who contributed to the film.

During the court hearing, the Deputy Solicitor General informed the court that the official submission portal had been fully operational since October 10, and 21 applications from Kerala had been successfully uploaded during the same period. This suggests that the issue may not have been due to a widespread technical fault. However, the court acknowledged that the producers had lodged their grievance and submitted their representation promptly.

Disposing of the writ petition, the High Court has directed the Secretary of the Union Ministry of Information & Broadcasting to evaluate the representation submitted by the 'Bougainvillea' team and issue a well-reasoned decision within ten days.